SG² Steve Gladen on Small Groups

Equipping Small Group Leaders: Insights from Saddleback Church

In this episode of SG Squared, Steve Gladen, the global pastor of small groups at Saddleback Church, shares his extensive experience to encourage and equip small group leaders. The episode includes the 'Saddleback Scoop,' highlighting the church's shift from fruitfulness to faithfulness, an approach to combat COVID-induced depletion by focusing on all four aspects of personal refreshment: physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual. The 'Network Nugget' segment introduces Saddleback’s first online training course, Align, and discusses its positive impact on participants. Additionally, the podcast touches on new course releases, upcoming events, and the importance of maintaining various forms of personal well-being. The show wraps up with a focus on five emotional refreshments essential for small group leaders and members: support, stability, self-expression, significance, and satisfaction.

00:00 Welcome to F G Squared
00:19 The Saddleback Scoop: Refreshment and Recalibration
07:03 Network Nugget: Align Learning and Cohort Strategy
13:42 Leadership Learning: The Replenishment Cycle
21:45 Trending Topic: Five Emotional Refreshments
32:08 Closing Remarks and Resources

This episode is a very special cross post from the Group Answers podcast. We are sharing in honor of the passing of Chris Surratt, a friend and brother in Christ who has impacted thousands of small group point people around the world.

Thanks for taking the time to listen, and don't forget to check out Group Answers podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.

Original Description:
On this episode of Group Answers, Chris talks to Steve Gladen about why we should go after hard and soft data to know if our small groups are healthy and creating disciples. Steve Gladen has been the pastor of small groups at Saddleback Church since 1998 and serves as an elder of the church.
The post Group Answers Episode 235: Steve Gladen on Knowing Hard and Soft Data in Your Small Group Ministry appeared first on Adult Ministry.
CLICK HERE to read the report from Lifeway Research about the state of groups.

Steve Gladen, Small Groups Pastor at Saddleback Church, pulls from his 25 plus years of small group ministry experience to encourage and equip listeners to lead healthier, growing and more effective small groups and small group ministries. In this episode, Steve shares the four key steps that you will want to follow for a successful and strategic 2025 in regards to your small group ministry.  You don't want to miss this episode!

BOOK: Planning Small Groups with Purpose

Steve Gladen, Small Groups Pastor at Saddleback Church, pulls from his 25 plus years of small group ministry experience to encourage and equip listeners to lead healthier, growing and more effective small groups and small group ministries. In this episode, Steve and co-host Derek sit down to continue reading and answering the top small group mail bag questions sent in by small group point people and ministry leaders. You don't want to miss this episode!

SHOWNOTES

Mail Bag Questions 13-18

13 How do we get previously existing groups to become “official” Small Groups so we can include them on our website and app?  They are nomads and we love to start walking beside them.
14 What’s one thing you would do differently if you could go back to your first day over groups?
15 How do we create a church culture of groups?
16 Top tips for getting long-time groups to multiply
17 What is the outcome or “win” of a group?
18 Can Adult Sunday School work with small groups?

Steve Gladen, Small Groups Pastor at Saddleback Church, pulls from his 25 plus years of small group ministry experience to encourage and equip listeners to lead healthier, growing and more effective small groups and small group ministries. In this episode, Steve and co-host Derek sit down to continue reading and answering the top small group mail bag questions sent in by small group point people and ministry leaders. You don't want to miss this episode!

SHOW NOTES

Mail Bag Questions 8-12

8 Who is doing ESL as a small group?
9 I wish I had known the importance of having the right coaches in place...any tips?
10 What is the biggest mistake you made?
11 What’s the one thing you would tell yourself as someone new to ministry regarding groups?
12 How to get/grow more leaders?

Re-imagine Coaching Episode 

Steve Gladen, Small Groups Pastor at Saddleback Church, pulls from his 25 plus years of small group ministry experience to encourage and equip listeners to lead healthier, growing and more effective small groups and small group ministries. In this episode, Steve and co-host Derek sit down to read and answer the top small group mail bag questions sent in by small group point people and ministry leaders. You don't want to miss this episode!

Mail Bag Questions 1-7

1 What advice would you give to someone brand new to vocational ministry?
2 What is key to moving from good and high participation to great and highly effective in your groups.
3 How do you navigate creating a small group culture if senior leadership isn’t on board?
4 How to encourage attendance after a busy work day?
5 How do you best prioritize time and energy with ministry friends?
6 Starting healthy! I am from a church plant and want to establish firm foundations as we look to continue the process of growing more into the likeness of Christ in community! Help.
7 What % of regular worshippers being in small groups is typical?

Check out the The Lobby Conference

Steve Gladen, Global Small Groups Pastor at Saddleback Church, pulls from his 20+ years of small group ministry experience to encourage and equip listeners to lead healthier, growing and more effective small group ministries. In this episode, Steve & co-host Deek talk about 20 ways that you can honor and celebrate the leaders in your ministry this groups season.

This is a rebroadcast episode

Would you like to know about ten unique ways that your small group can evangelize together? Steve Gladen, Small Groups Pastor at Saddleback Church, pulls from his 25 plus years of small group ministry experience to encourage and equip listeners to lead healthier, growing and more effective small groups and small group ministries. In this episode, Steve and Dereksit down with special guest Kiersten Telzerow to discuss ten innovative ways that small groups can break out beyond the walls to share the good news with people in their community. 

Note: Kiersten is still finalizing her program and is not yet a doctor. 

10 Ways Your Group Can Evangelize

• Kiersten - Groups Pastor @ NCC in DC
• DMIN: Wholistic Discipleship– passionate about ways that groups can engage in mission on a regular basis– being the hands and feet of Christ
• Do the leg work up front– don’t just sign your group up for something - because then everyone will feel like they have to do it and that’s not mission ;)

Of first time Health Assessment takers 87% evangelism is self selected as low

• Set up Personal, Local and Global
• Personal—1 Corinthians 3:6-7 (Plant, Water, and Harvest)
• Local/Global—Homa and Away Teams

• Don’t overcomplicate it- first and foremost- don’t try to put a 1-week overseas trip on the calendar for all 15 people in your small group- never say never, but the likelihood is that may not happen.
• Keep it simple and consistent- if we know those who experience the greatest transformation in community in a small group- why wouldn’t we believe the same to be true of mission? The more we keep showing up– the easier it gets. It’s like flexing a muscle. If we don’t have the gift of mercy or evangelism- it can be harder to flex this muscle- so start with something easy.
• Pray about & strategize it- What’s one of the areas that’s a great need? Is there a local cause that is close to the church or your small group? Are there places that a group could rotate so maybe it doesn’t work on everyone's schedule all at once, but you can take shifts. Serving 2 Saturdays/month.
• Find what people are passionate about– leverage strengths/ gifts in group. & the most important thing is do it together– model it together, live it out- express the Gospel through our lifestyle/everyday living.

Practically speaking:

1. Prayer Walk- Reimagine mission – what that could look like in your group– prayer walk your neighborhood or around your church. Every summer our groups engage in 40 days of prayer walks- in their neighborhoods, at their workplaces, etc. Prayer walking is still living on mission! **Have everyone in your group be praying for 3 people consistently in their sphere of influence.
2. See if your group can “adopt” a cause like taking turns providing respite care to families who are fostering or every year your group puts together shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child.
3. Food- Make lunches for homeless friends- if that doesn’t already exist- make that a small group! Or, every other week I’m a part of a reconciliation lunch at our Dream Center and I’ll bring people with me– listening to people’s stories is a way of partnering with Jesus- doing what He did wherever we go.
4. Evangelize in your own neighborhood–(together or individually) If you all live in the same community- ask what you can do in your community. Several of our group members all live in the same area and so we realized there was a gap of a chaplain down at our police precinct- one day we had an incident in the neighborhood and I just said hey I’m a pastor, I live over here- if there’s anything I can do please let me know… there’s several of us from the same church in the area if anyone needs anything.
5. Never underestimate the small- hidden things. Our small group is made up of bakers- we are always baking things, giving them away, etc. So one time we made a batch of cookies with invites to Easter services attached. I thought- small things- maybe it’ll cheer a neighbors day up. Everyone in the group can do this wherever they live- but just deliver goods to neighbors on a regular basis- you never know the difference. Recently I had a neighbor I’ve been praying for, and she came up to me and said I just needed you to know the difference you made by dropping off those sweets- I’d like to go to church with you one day if that’s possible. I was floored- over a batch of cookies.
6. Neighborhood block party.  Invite your group host home to had a block party (or someone else in your group if thats better) to invite their street to a block party.  Either the group, the church, whoever can sponsor it and have a gathering.  This is a great way to live for Jesus in front of lost people
7. Write out your 1-, 3- and 10-minutes testimony and share it with your small group.
8. Identify your One Life who doesn’t know Christ and share with the group what stage you are at with them (plant, water, or harvest) and your next step.
9. Have a party with your small group and invite your One Life(s). Let them see Christians having fun.
10. Explore people different than you, attend an ethic mom and pop restaurant and learn about their culture.

Would you like to know about ten unique ways that your small group can worship together? Steve Gladen, Small Groups Pastor at Saddleback Church, pulls from his 25 plus years of small group ministry experience to encourage and equip listeners to lead healthier, growing and more effective small groups and small group ministries. In this episode, Steve and Dereksit down with special guest Troy Kennedy to discuss ten innovative ways that small groups can worship together.

10 Ways to Worship in Your Small Group

Brief discussion on definition of worship.

Three questions to prompt response: Who is he? Who am I in relationship to Him? What has he done?

10 Ways to Worship in a Small Group -

For the leaders - Before and during the worship time, always pray for God's guidance and presence to be felt among the group. Ask for wisdom in leading the group in worship. Every group dynamic is different and needs to be treated sensitively.

1. Sing along with a favorite worship song with the text. Afterwords, discuss which parts of this song were most powerful or meaningful to you. After everyone has shared, sing along with it again. 
2. Read a passage of scripture (Start with John 15)  then offer gratitude prayer through what you discovered as a group.
3. Festoon a passage of scripture - start with Psalm 23 (define "festoon")
4. As a group read The Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13 - Articulate to one another different sections in your own words. "Our father" "in heaven" "holy is your name" "for Yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever, and ever." Use your own perspective on what these phrases are applied in your life right now.
5. Read Revelation 4 & 5's scene from heaven then respond to what you read with one another.
6. Pick a story from one of the gospels involving Jesus. (A good place to start is Luke 10:38-41) Read the passage through together. Then instruct everyone to imagine themselves in the story themselves. Who are they? What does it feel like? What time of day is it? What are the smells? Etc.… Have someone else then read the passage again, slowly, while everyone else is imagining themselves in it. Afterwords have group members share who they were in the passage, describing in detail, what day heard, saw and felt.
7. Everyone write down 10 things, however, great or small, they are grateful for. And when everyone is done, offer prayers of gratitude in the form of popcorn prayer.
8. After a reading from the Psalms enjoy a time of contemplative prayer using silence. Set a timer for 2 to 5 minutes. And during that silence have everyone focus on the goodness of God. Try to visualize yourself sitting quietly with Jesus across from you in the room. How is he looking at you? How does that make you feel? After this time of contemplation, share the experience, however, beneficial or awkward, it might have been.
9. Read Ephesians chapter 6 verses 10-17. Then listen to or sing along with a favorite worship song in the group. Afterwords, go back to Ephesians 6, and identify which parts of the armor of God the song best represents.
10. Have someone share a story in their faith journey where God came through for them. They may have been healed of some kind of malady. They may have had a relationship that was healed. They have felt protected in some way, etc.… while the group is listening to their story, have everyone write down three characteristics of God best exemplified in that story. Afterwords, share with one another your observations. And then offer a prayer of thanksgiving for God’s character as it is revealed in that person's story.
11. Have everyone go on some sort of hike or outing to a beautiful outdoor location. Enjoy God's majesty in nature and spend some time prayerfully thanking him as a group for what you see. 
12. Expand the worship experience by including elements like communion, foot washing, different body postures (kneeling, hands raised, eyes lifted up etc…)

Would you like to know about ten unique ways that your small group can serve your church and community? Steve Gladen, Small Groups Pastor at Saddleback Church, pulls from his 25 plus years of small group ministry experience to encourage and equip listeners to lead healthier, growing and more effective small groups and small group ministries. In this episode, Steve and Derek sit down with special guest Jon Laster, small group pastor from Spring Hill, TN to discuss ten innovative ways that small groups can mobilize to serve people.

10 Ways Your Group Can Serve

Groups serving other areas of ministry in the local church is life giving, and fuel for what God wants to do in your local congregation!

1 - Talk to your Pastoral Staff and ask them what areas they feel needs the most attention in your local church.  This can be basic cleaning, outreach, etc.  I believe it’s the best place to start on where you can serve as a group.  

2 - Serve those in your group.  Whether someone needs their lawn cut during a busy season of life, or just a 45 min coffee meeting to check in on them and their family.

3 - Serve your local police and fire department.  These are groups that are often are carrying a heavy load and it’s a great way for the local body to serve and encourage them. Pizza and subs go a long way! :) 

4 - Find a street in your community and serve the community by doing clean up together.

5 - Sponsor a block party in someone’s neighborhood and serve your neighbors lunch or dinner.  This leads to a great time of connection.

6 - Gather and pray for your local church and leaders.  There is never not a good time to do this.  Church leadership is carrying a heavier load than a lot of people realize and one of the best ways to serve others is to pray for them.

7 - Serve together at local food pantries, or homeless shelters.  Find local opportunities outside the walls of your church to be the church.

8 - Find a way to serve your Kids, Teens, Worship, etc. Departments in your church. Whether it’s helping with snacks, prayer, set up, clean up, etc.  Serve the upcoming generation!

9 – Connect with a city official and see what they did help in that your group(s) can help.

10 - Serve your local churches vision. This might look a little different for each church, but find ways to serve and carry out your local church’s vision together as a group.